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Cunard Line

Queen Mary 2

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Reviewed by: Barry Vaudrin
# previous cruises: 20 to 30
Date of Trip: January 28, 2004
Itinerary: Travel Agent & Media Cruise

Without hesitation the most anticipated new passenger ship to make it's debut into the cruise industry is the Queen Mary 2, the first newly constructed ocean liner in over thirty-five years. The difference between a "liner" and a "cruise ship" is in the design of the hull, which is stronger and more streamlined for a "liner". An ocean liner, with it's deeper draft, and sharp, wave-cutting bow, is designed to withstand the wrath of even the most tumultuous seas, whereas a cruise ship is designed for the smooth waters of the Caribbean. On January 28th, along with my wife Terri, I had an opportunity to experience first-hand the Queen Mary 2 or QM2 for a short two-night cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale. As a Queen Mary (1936) historian, I was invited by Cunard to participate in this two-night event offered to members of the media, and a host of travel agents. I was onboard as a member of the media. There were only about one hundred media onboard, but about two thousand travel agents. Having followed the conception, design phase, construction, trials, and maiden voyage of the QM2 for about six years, I was thrilled beyond words to have the exclusive opportunity to see and experience the QM2. My interest in ocean liners began around 1977 during a family vacation to California when my family happened to stay at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, which is currently a museum and a hotel. Throughout high school and college, as a hobby, I studied the history and design of the original Queen Mary, which came out in 1936. I also worked on cruise ships and even the QE2 for about two years, in various positions like Entertainer, Assistant Cruise Director, Cruise Director and Stage Manager. Six or seven years ago, I would have never imagined in my wildest dreams that another ocean liner, and especially one to be a successor to the Queen Mary, would ever be built. I remember often hearing that the QE2 was the last of the great trans-Atlantic liners. Thanks to the leadership of Micky Arison, and a host of other executives and designers, a new and spectacular ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2, continues the legacy of a grand era in ocean travel.

Seeing the Queen Mary 2 for the first time from nearly three or four miles away, enroute to the port of Ft. Lauderdale, my immediate thought was that this was no cruise ship…Cunard has successfully created a grand ocean liner that will draw attention where ever she goes. When you set aside the fact that the QM2 is absolutely huge, there is also a sense of excitement in the air among those who are also seeing the ship for the first time. After having followed the dream of building the Queen Mary 2 unfold over a period of six years, seeing the ship first-hand and up-close was like stepping outside of reality and into a fantasy. Perhaps not everyone would experience the same euphoria as I did; however, it's hard to imagine how someone would not be impressed by the shear size and beauty of the QM2 as she gleams in the sun ready for another voyage. As we approached the pier in Ft. Lauderdale, a band was playing, and there were people dressed in 40's period costumes to greet us. Once in the embarkation area we waited a short time in line to check in. The embarkation lobby had giant posters from the QM2 book of comparisons lining the upper portion of the two-story walls. The giant bow of the ship could be seen through large windows facing the pier and the distinctive letters spelling out Queen Mary 2 offered no mistake which vessel we were about to board. Entering the QM2, and into the Grand Lobby for the first time felt like the beginning of an epic adventure, set in a time that was once thought to be extinct. White columns, a towering atrium with glass elevators, sweeping stairs with red carpet, the sweet sound of a harp serenading, welcomes passengers into the world of Queen Mary 2.

As I walked through the halls, stairwells, lounges, and dinning areas, I was continually impressed with the beautifully polished wood-like paneling that was reminiscent of the original Queen Mary and many other liners. With the latest Safety of Life at Sea regulations, modern passenger ships are not allowed to be constructed using the vast amounts of wood paneling the old liners use to have, because fire was the number one hazard on a ship. The French builders who constructed the QM2 did a fantastic job with their attention to even the smallest details in creating the best simulated wood paneling I've ever seen. The QM2 has an excellent blend of art deco, elegantly modern, yet with a timeless interior décor that is very rich, but not too flashy. The interiors have a very permanent and solid feel like that of a fine hotel or English manor, unlike many cruise ships of today that have the décor of a Las Vegas resort. I was particularly thrilled to see fine artwork of many ocean liners from the past, like the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, QE2 and the Caronia. Every stairwell and elevator seemed to have a wonderful painting of a famous ocean liner. For me, another favorite feature on the QM2 was the ship's whistle, one of which is the original whistle from the Queen Mary in Long Beach. The starboard whistle on QM2 originated aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach where it was on display in the museum. The whistle was removed from the center funnel of the Queen Mary during her restoration into a Museum and hotel. Those who managed the Queen Mary in Long Beach were gracious to permanently loan the ship's whistle to Cunard Line, to be installed onboard the QM2. The whistle was put aboard the QE2 and transported across the Atlantic. The original manufacturers of the whistles, Kockums Ab of Sweden, are still in operation today, and they took it in to refurbish and restore it so it could once again be operational aboard the QM2. Not only did they restore the original whistle, but they manufactured an exact, working replica to compliment the original one, so that we can once again hear the dual, booming voice of the 1936 Queen Mary on the high seas.

The Queen Mary 2 was built by Alstom Chantiers de l' Atlantique Saint-Nazaire, in France. There is so much to be said of her tremendous size, but the facts alone don't make it any easier to realize how big this ship is. At 151,400 gross tons, 1,132 feet in length with a beam (width) of 135 feet and a towering height from the keel to the top of the funnel at 236.2 feet, the Queen Mary 2 is an enormous structure with 14 passenger decks. For those who have been to New York City and have seen the Empire State Building, let me paint a picture to help you grasp how big QM2 is…imagine flipping the Empire State Building on it's side and shoving it down a freeway, you're familiar with, at a speed of about 35 miles per hour. That's pretty big and powerful! The QM2 has four huge diesel 16 cylinder engines weighing 217 tons each, and they produce enough power to light the entire city of Southampton, England, the ship's homeport. Included in the massive powerplant onboard QM2 are two gas turbines, which help the ship achieve a cruising speed of 3o knots, or about 34 miles per hour. Propelling the giant vessel through the sea are four 250 ton Mermaid pods, built by Rolls Royce-owned Kamewa & Alstom Power Motors. In the old days, ships were propelled through the sea using propellers connected to a shaft that was directly connected to the gears and finally the engine. Using the latest technology, the QM2's four Mermaid "Pods" are self-contained electric motors with a propeller hanging from underneath the hull. Two of these Pods are fixed, but the other two can rotate 360 degrees, eliminating the need for a rudder.

Walking through the ship for the first time was very exciting for me. I had studied those deck plans for at least two years, and knew exactly where I was. Even though my wife and I were dragging our heavy luggage onboard the ship, and very tired from the early morning, we were still enjoying the moment. When we arrived into the warmth of the Grand Lobby, we paused and admired the grandeur and luxury of our surroundings, then we immediately went to the glass elevator to ascend up to Deck 7. That particular elevator only went as far as Deck 7, and our stateroom was on Deck 8, so we walked a bit through the King's Court dinning area aft, towards one of the aft stairwells to catch another elevator to Deck 8. Our assigned stateroom was a Deluxe Balcony category, room 8088 on the port side of the ship. This particular category stateroom had a slightly obstructed view, with a full walk-out balcony. It was truly a relief to finally arrive into our stateroom after such a long day of travel, but for us the day was just beginning as the anticipation of a grand departure out of Ft. Lauderdale is ahead of us.

Around 7pm the giant QM2 began to slowly move away from the Ft. Lauderdale pier. It didn't look like this huge ship would be able to turn around in the Ft. Lauderdale basin, but her 1,132 foot length indeed was able to carefully back out from the pier and turn towards the open sea. Moments after the QM2 bow was pointed towards the open channel, and after the ship began a forward motion, QM2's booming voice (the great whistle) was sounded off, signaling the ship's departure from Ft. Lauderdale. At about 7:30pm, the sun had gone down and it was dark, as QM2 slowly moved ahead. From the condominiums and apartments lining the channel, cheers, horns, sirens, whistles, lights, anything that made noise or flashed on & off, was used to celebrate QM2's departure from Ft. Lauderdale. How exciting it was to stand on Deck 13, high above the port, and watch all the hoopla coming from shore-side…what a grand site it must have been to see the magnificent Queen Mary 2 move by, and out towards the open sea. Finally, after the ship exited the port, fireworks erupted from a barge, near the beach, into the night sky, offering a spectacular site from the ship and from shore.

This was the first time I went to sea on a vessel of this size. I have visited large ships in the past, but I was looking forward to experiencing for myself the motions of a 150,000 ton ship. As we were departing there was nearly no movement that could be felt, but at around dinner time, we experienced a significant amount of motion, that seemed uncharacteristic for a cruise ship much less a liner. The ship rolled back and forth, and had just a little pitching action. Roll is when the ship moves from side-to-side, and pitch is when the ship moves from front to back. I later found out that, at that time the officers on the bridge were doing some tests with the "pods", or (propulsion), causing the ship to move more than usual. These test combined with the fact that the seas were a bit choppy would justify the movement felt that night. The movement only lasted about thirty minutes, then it calmed down. During our "voyage" we only went out about fifteen to twenty miles from shore and cruised up and down the coast throughout the night, and our one day at sea. We could always see the coast, usually Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. There was one time when the ship posed for photos from a photographer in a helicopter, by doing a complete circle, a huge ocean liner-sized donut. Queen Mary 2 handled the sharp turns without excessive rolling, which is a testament to the designers who conceived and built the ship. The real test of her stability will be to experience QM2 on a trans-Atlantic crossing, for which she was built. I'm sure the ship will have a slightly different feel when she is at her Atlantic service speed of 28 knots.

One of the unique qualities of the ocean liners from the past were the many lounges to socialize in. Vessels like the original Queen Mary, the Normandie, ss United States, or the Aquitannia, for example, had palatial interiors and many nooks to socialize, sit and watch the ocean pass by, or read a book. These were huge mansions at sea with beautiful lounges for passengers to immerse themselves in the good life as they often traveled from one continent to another. Some of these liners had lounges and dinning rooms that soared two and sometimes three levels high, offering passengers a feeling that they were in a mansion or exclusive country club. When traveling across the vast Atlantic ocean, a person can begin to feel very small, so passenger lines built ships with vast interiors as a distraction for guests to feel like they are in the comfort of a land-based mansion or palace. Many cruise ships today have impressive lounges and dining rooms that are two and three levels high, as well as atriums that rise up more than eight decks, so one may ask…how does the QM2's interiors differ from the cruise ships? A great effort was made to design QM2's public rooms and lounges to reflect the history of the ocean liner era, with decks Two & Three having taller eleven foot ceilings, and also the vast amount of simulated wood paneling throughout the ship. There is an art deco theme that was integrated into the layout and décor of QM2, reminiscent of the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. Some design features from the legendary Normandie can also be seen particularly in the long and wide corridor that stretches through the middle of the ship from the Royal Court Theatre to the Britannia Restaurant. On the walls of this long corridor are large panels of artwork similar to what was once seen aboard the Normandie in the early 30's. With this long and wide thoroughfare stretching at least one forth the length of the ship, passengers have easy and uncrowded access to the Empire Casino, the Golden Lion Pub, the Chart Room, Champagne Bar, the Mayfair Shops, Grand Lobby, Purser's Desk, Britannia Restaurant and the Royal Court Theatre. A red with gold design carpet covers this long corridor offering a rich feeling that one may experience in a five star luxury hotel or even a royal palace. One way to differentiate between the cruise ships and QM2 can be summed up in one word…"class". QM2's interiors are of a solid and permanent construction, with a great deal of "upscale class" that permeates the many lounges, bars, and dinning rooms.

The Queens Room, located aft on Deck Three, is the perfect venue for cabaret shows, ballroom dancing and high-noon tea. A very classy and comfortable lounge, the Queens Room boasts the largest dance floor on any passenger ship. The wooden dance floor has a beautiful inlaid design imbedded in the flooring, and reflects the lighting from two chandeliers from above. Similar to the First Class Lounge on the original Queen Mary, there are tall white columns on each side of the Queens Room that line a pathway for passengers to walk, in grand style, from the entrance of the room, forward, to the G32 night club, aft. The centerpiece to the Queens Room is a bandstand with a royal purple curtain adorned with the signature QM2 logo on the front. It was in this elegant room that Commodore Warwick, Master of the QM2, greeted the travel agents and media, that were aboard for this short, two-night cruise.

Just forward of the Queens Room is the Britannia Restaurant. To go forward from the Queens Room you could either walk through the upper level to the Britannia Restaurant, or you could use the clever and delightful promenade, flanking each side of the ship, on the elusive Deck 3L. This Deck 3L is not shown clearly on the deck plan in the brochure, but it is a wonderful passageway with large windows and a great view of the sea. This deck basically passes under the upper level of the Britannia Restaurant, so passengers wishing to get to the Queens Room and the G32 nightclub, do not have to wander through the restaurant. I thoroughly appreciated this Deck 3L passage because it was reminiscent of the promenades on the liners of the past. The starboard side passage doubled as an art gallery, with beautiful paintings, and the port side passage was where the ship's photographers display their photos of passengers. Also not seen on the deck plan is an interesting, old fashioned, glass elevator, that transports passengers up and down just one deck from Deck Three to Deck 3L.

Perhaps the grandest room on the ship, is the Britannia Restaurant, set to regale in an era of dinning on the Atlantic, aboard one of the great liners of the past. With it's tall white columns, back-lit domed ceiling, sweeping staircase, and dark wood paneling, the Britannia Restaurant is like a time capsule replicating the days of when the original Queen Mary or Queen Elizabeth were in their glory. A beautiful room that evokes feelings of passion, romance, tradition and elegance, will certainly be a delight for passengers to dine in during a trans-Atlantic crossing, or a Caribbean cruise.

The Golden Lion Pub, is a very popular bar on the QE2, so it was a natural decision to create one aboard the QM2 as well. Located on Deck 2, this particular bar or lounge was exceptionally popular and well used during our two-night cruise to nowhere. There was always something happening in the Golden Lion Pub, where passengers can order food, drinks, listen to a live band, and enjoy a great sea-view, while socializing and even dancing. This particular room was meant to emulate the popular bar / restaurants, or pubs which are popular in England.

The Chart Room located on Deck 3, just above the Golden Lion Pub, is a very classy room with an art deco décor. Again, passengers can order a drink, enjoy a great sea-view and listen to live music. The Chart Room was packed both nights during our short cruise. One of many watering-holes aboard the QM2, there is certainly no shortage when it comes to finding a place to relax with friends for a drink. Just across the hall form the Chart Room, on the port side, is yet another bar called Sir Samuel's, dedicated to Samuel Cunard, the founder of the Cunard Line. Perhaps one may consider this bar as a spill-over from the crowded and popular Chart Room. With it's own unique décor, Sir Samuel's is a smaller, more intimate bar. Just forward of the Chart Room, and on the starboard side of the ship, is the Champagne Bar that overlooks the Grand Lobby. The Golden Lion Pub, Chart Room, Sir Samuel's, and the Champagne Bar are all strategically positioned just forward of the Britannia Restaurant, so passengers have a place to meet before and after dinner.

The Commodore Club, on Deck 9, has a forward sea view, a view that was sadly removed from the QE2. This room is elegant with a great view of the bow, and behind the bar is a brilliant model of the QM2. Just aft of the Commodore Club are two rooms, one is called the Boardroom, and the other is a classic smoking room like the old liners use to have, called Churchill's. Up two decks from the Commodore Club, Deck 11, is a quaint lounge called the Atlantic Room. This room also has an ocean view and an open-air observation deck. For those who may want to find a nook onboard QM2 to play cards, make puzzles, or just sit quietly and read a book, this is the place. It's one of those rooms you have to search for to find…it's not on the beaten path. Three decks down, on Deck 8, is the very popular Library and QM2 bookshop. This is the largest library at sea, where guests can browse through thousands of books, explore the internet, or read that mystery novel you've always wanted to read, but never had the time. With a great view over the bow of the ship, cozy chairs entice passengers to sit and relax. The bookstore is a shiplover's dream, with loads of nautical books and books about ocean liners.

Another classic room, reminiscent from the trans-Atlantic liners, is a garden lounge, or on QM2, the Winter Garden. This room is on Deck 7, and has the wicker furniture that was a staple on ocean liners. The ceiling is hand-painted, and there is a wonderful mural on the aft-side of the lounge, behind a waterfall. On those cool, blustery days on the Atlantic, the Winter Garden, with it's piped-in bird sounds, is an extremely comfortable and relaxing room, and a contrast to the typical grayish-hue of the Atlantic ocean.

Five million dollars in fabulous artwork greet passengers at nearly every turn. Particularly if you have an interest in the history of ocean liners, there are paintings in the stairwells, elevators, and throughout many of the corridors. Maritime artist, Stephen Card, for example, has a number of splendid ocean liner paintings all over the ship. On Decks two & three is a long hall that stretches from the Royal Court Theatre forward to the Britannia Restaurant aft. This great hall, along with the Grand Lobby, connects passengers to many of the popular lounges and bars on decks two & three. Beautiful etched, or molded artwork dominates the walls to this great hall. These large pieces of art depict a number of scenes from around the World, like the Americas, Africa, Europe, ancient Egypt, and the Mayans. Unlike the wall art from the Normandie, that were etched or made from metal, and sometimes covered with goldleaf, the molded wall art designs on QM2 are made from some sort of plaster, or lightweight composite. I'm sure this composite material was selected over metal because of the lightweight qualities. On a ship, it's important to use lightweight materials that ultimately factor into the buoyancy formulas for the vessel. Any unnecessary weight is trimmed down, during the design and construction phase to make the vessel more efficient. This type of composite material was also used to make the sculptures and statues at the entrance to the Illuminations Theatre. In the panel representing America, you can see the Space Shuttle, the Statue of Liberty, and other scenes depicting American culture, but if you look really close…it's hard to find, there is a tiny Homer Simpson character, sitting with his remote, watching television, embedded into the art. I just found it surprising that Homer Simpson would find his way into the grand artwork throughout one of the greatest ocean liners ever built.

The QM2 itself is a work of art. Her hull form & superstructure is not only functional, but artistically made to make a grand impression where ever she goes. Her funnel alone could be considered a piece of modern art. The forward part of her superstructure that faces the oncoming sea, has horizontal black stripes painted around some of the forward-facing windows to give the ship a more aesthetically pleasing look of strength and grace. I think those black lines make QM2 look like the Aquitannia, or even the original Queen Mary, which had open decks in the same corresponding area. Inside and out, QM2 is a spectacular work of art. The French builders were incredibly meticulous in their attention to detail, from the intricate engineering components in the depths of the hull, to the teak decking, QM2 is a magnificent piece of art.

Before I left for this trip to the QM2 I planned out what I'd like to do onboard, and I also had a "dining" wish list, which included a lunch in Todd English and dinner in one of the other specialty restaurants. When I called ahead to inquire about what to expect regarding our dining options, I was told that we would be eating in the Britannia Restaurant, but Todd English, and the specialty dinning areas in the Kings Court were not going to be open or available to us. When we arrived in our stateroom, there was a letter waiting for us with incredible news! Because our invitation was as a member of the media, we were given the exclusive opportunity to dine in the Queen's Grill for the two nights and in Todd English for lunch during our one day at sea. To put the dining aboard QM2 in perspective, this ship has carried over the Cunard tradition of a class system surviving only in the choice of dinning and stateroom options. The ship has two main dining options, the Britannia Restaurant, which is closer to the mass-market style of dinning on many other cruise ships and then there's the exclusive Grill Restaurants for only a small number of passengers in deluxe and suite accomodations. Your stateroom category determines if you will be in the Britannia, or Grill restaurants, but of course you pay more for the higher category staterooms. The grill restaurants are also divided into two categories, the Princess Grill and what is perceived to be the ultimate in five star dinning, the exquisite Queen's Grill. On the Queen Elizabeth 2 there is more distinction between the Princess Grill and Queens Grill, but on QM2 both dining rooms are nearly identical. It would be interesting to know if there are more amenities than Princess Grill, when dining in the Queens Grill, other than the exclusive Queens Grill lounge adjacent to the entrance of the Queens Grill Restaurant.

I was thrilled to know that we would be dining in the Queens Grill, both nights of which were formal…what a treat! It was the perfect opportunity for me to bring my bride out for two nights of fine dining in what I expected to be the finest cuisine and service available on the sea or on land. I was not disappointed, but I do have some observations about the level of service. Perhaps it was the fact that some of the waiters were new to working on a ship, or were still in training. Maybe because this was only a two night cruise for travel agents and the media, but there were some notable areas where the service fell short only slightly. There was no connection to our waiter. Our waiter seemed to be very mechanical as he served us, with little finesse or personality. We experienced the same type of service from several different waiters the two nights we ate in the Queens Grill. It was difficult to know who our waiter was, because it seemed the waiter staff used a tag-team effort to serve us. There was a lack of attention to detail among the waiters we had, for example, our imported Norwegian water was not refilled in a timely manner, one night we didn't get bread and had to ask for it twice. More attention was given to keeping our wine glasses full than our water glasses. The waiters were friendly, but the pageantry of dining in a five star restaurant fell short because the waiters lacked that personal touch, the finesse and joy that should be present. The cuisine was excellent, however, it did take a long time for the main entrée to arrive. The presentation on the plate was excellent and the choices on the menu were numerous. One night my wife ordered the "Slow Roasted Beef Rib, Braised Onion Confit & Fondant Potato", while I had "Grilled Seafood, Courgette & Sweet Corn Risotto". The ambiance in the dinning room was pleasant, with mostly soft tones, and candle-lit in the evening.

I'm certain that the level of service and the quality of the food was greater in the Grill restaurant, than what was offered in the Britannia Restaurant, because of the many comments I heard from the travel agents who dined there. I did not have first-hand experience with the dinning in the Britannia Restaurant, but the scuttlebutt was that the service was very slow, and the food was not memorable. The Britannia Restaurant is an absolutely beautiful room, however, with tall white columns, an enormous tapestry as the centerpiece, and a back-lit, domed ceiling, similar to the rooms from ocean liners of the past. Indirect lighting sconces reminiscent of the original Queen Mary adorned the grand staircase that swept down to the main floor from the second level. The three deck high Britannia Restaurant is the first multi-leveled dinning room ever to be built into a Cunard liner. This restaurant was seemingly the most photographed room on the ship, because of it's grand proportions, nostalgic wood paneling, and art deco décor.

The Britannia Restaurant and the Grill Restaurants were not the only choices for dining, however, which leads me to describing the various alternative dining options onboard the QM2. In addition to our exclusive opportunity to dine in the Queens Grill, we were also given, as a member of the media, an invitation to experience the cuisine of Todd English. Similar to the Verandah Grill aboard the original Queen Mary, located aft on Deck 8, and overlooking a pool deck terrace, Todd English is a specialty restaurant for those passengers wishing to try something new, in a more intimate environment than their usual designated dining room. It was said that passengers crossing on the Queen Mary, in the early days, had to make reservations months in advance to dine in the chic Verandah Grill. The Verandah Grill had room for a small ensemble, a piano, and a dance floor, with windows overlooking the Sun Deck, and was the most sought after place to dine on the north Atlantic. Todd English, was recognized in People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" list. His gourmet Mediterranean cuisine has amazed people in a Boston restaurant called Olives, and now his award-winning food can be experienced aboard the QM2. My wife and I enjoyed the "Todd English" experience. People who wanted to just take a look were turned away, because only the few members of the media onboard were given the privilege of trying out the Todd English restaurant. I ordered two entrees, so I could better sample the options on the menu. I ordered a squash-filled ravioli main course and Brown Butter Saute Turbot Filet, as my second entrée, both choices of which were exquisite. My wife had the rotisserie chicken with French fries cooked with rosemary. We sat at a window with a sea-view, but the majority of diners opted for the tables looking out to the pool terrace. The celebrity chef himself, Todd English, whom we had an opportunity to meet, was present on this voyage, and we were told that he actually created our entrees personally in the galley. Originally, Todd English was intended to be included in the passenger's fare, as an alternative dining option and by reservations only, but demand was so high during the maiden voyage and first couple of cruises, and the restaurant proved to be so popular, that Cunard Line will now add a supplemental fee for passengers wishing to dine in this exclusive restaurant. Passengers will also be restricted to dining in Todd English only one time during any voyage, to let everyone have an opportunity to experience this alternative dining venue.

Other dining options include the King's Court area with numerous dining outlets, similar to an upscale mall food court. There's a chefs gallery where passengers can watch their food being prepared by a chef through windows and a multi-media presentation involving cameras and monitors. There's an Asian food venue and several buffet areas. Bar-food's like fish & chips, can also be ordered at the Golden Lion Pub. Room service provides an excellent breakfast-in-bed experience. Finally hamburgers and hotdogs among other foods are available at the Boardwalk Café, high up on Deck 12. There's no shortage of food aboard the QM2.

It was such a short time onboard, and the ship is so large, it was difficult to see & do every thing I had planned for. In fact Commodore Warwick made a funny joke the evening of the Captain's welcome party in the Queens Room. He said, he'd be disappointed if someone came to him and knew where everything was on the ship after such a short voyage, but if someone did…they'd have to build a bigger ship. I had an opportunity to visit the bridge, which was very exciting to me. I always enjoy seeing the bridge, and have spent many hours on the bridge of the QE2. Queen Mary 2's navigational bridge is the widest bridge on a passenger vessel to date, and filled with all the latest navigational and electronic technology. Flat screen monitors have replaced the bulky radar devices on many other vessels. The bridge wings are also the best place to view the whole ship as she makes her way through the ocean. The wheel used to steer the ship is smaller than most steering wheels in an automobile.

I did happen to venture below decks to some of the crew areas, because I use to work in that environment, and I wanted to see how it was aboard QM2. A famous and traditional place for Cunard crewmembers to hang out during off-duty hours, is the Pig & Whistle, which is mostly a lounge with a bar, and a place to relax where an occasional game of darts may occur. Many famous movie stars would often visit the Pig & Whistle aboard the original Queen Mary. On the QM2 the Pig & Whistle is on Deck One midship. I did get a chance to wander through the Pig & Whistle on QM2 as well as a visit to the print shop, the photo lab, the crew gymnasium, and another crew lounge. I also explored some of the forward areas in the bow where the rope storage & winches are, the paint storage room, and the place where huge rolls of extra carpets and furniture are stored. Of course I wanted to see the engine room, but I didn't venture that deep in the ship. I also didn't explore the vast food storage areas. The crew basically lives on Deck One forward, and in the catacombs of Deck A. Deck B has mostly stores, machinery, and laundry, while Deck C is where the engines are located deep in the hull. From the bottom of the ship to the top, the decks start at "C" Deck, then up to "B", and "A", then Deck One, through to the top at Deck 13. Some decks are taller than others, particularly in the engine room on Deck C, and Decks Two & Three where the major lounges, theatres and dinning room is located. So QM2 has a total of 16 decks, but she seems much taller than a building with only 16 floors.

The below-deck areas are pretty raw, and don't have much as far as aesthetics. The pipes, steel bulkheads and water-tight doors are all in plain view. Because it's such a new vessel, the below deck areas had a sterile look, kind of like a warship. I was impressed with how spotless all the work areas were, especially in the room with the ropes and winches at the bow. There is certainly a contrast between the crew areas and the passenger corridors. The stairwells in the crew areas were all steel, and the steps were much steeper, whereas the passenger stairwells are posh with fine carpet, and had beautiful artwork at every landing.

Our stateroom was very comfortable at 248 square feet. A Deluxe Balcony Category B3 had a slight obstructed view, but overall a decent panorama of the sea and the lifeboats. Our room was fitted out with a very comfortable king bed, a love seat, desk, coffee table, two night-stands, excellent closet space, a safe, and an efficient bathroom with shower, sink and toilet. Missing was a vase to put flowers. Upon boarding the ship, the women were given a rose, but we had nowhere to put this rose anywhere in the stateroom. In the days of the trans-Atlantic liners, it was common to have a vase in the staterooms because flowers were often given to passengers from friends and family wishing a bon voyage. The color scheme had light woods, and black trim, and soft beige colors for the bed spread and the carpet. Curtains were white and beige. A television was on the desk in the corner of the room, and doubled as a computer terminal to check email. A wireless keyboard was conveniently stashed in a drawer on the desk. A TV "clicker" or remote was handy to be able to browse through the channels from bed. The lighting in the room was pleasant, not too bright, and plenty of light when needed. I think the choice of light-bulbs and the positioning of the lights in the ceiling, created a rich ambiance in the room. On a long trip, say a World cruise, the room would be comfortable, but it might get a bit cramped with more clothes, and with purchases in the ports piling up. The size of the room is perfect, however, for the 6 day trans-Atlantic crossings, or shorter cruises. The bed was a "Beautyrest" and was very soft and comfortable, especially with the soft linens and comforter. The pillows were fluffy & soft and were easy to conform to fit the most comfortable position. One of the new amenities with Cunard, and aboard the QM2, is a "pillow concierge" service, where guests can choose the type of pillow they prefer. We never once saw our steward, but then it was only a short two-night cruise. The one feature that I was most looking forward to was having a balcony. In all my cruising, never once did I have a private balcony. There was teak decking on our balcony with two chairs to lounge on and watch the lifeboats. From a sitting position it would be tough to see the ocean because of the boats right outside of the room, but it would still be a great vantage point to sit in the sun. The one particular thing I wanted to do was leave the door to the balcony open all night long and bath in the sounds of the ocean passing at least eight decks below us. There was a gentle ocean breeze through out the night with our balcony door open, and the combination of the sound and the light breeze was relaxing, soothing and just plain refreshing. I can only imagine how wonderful it would be to experience that sea air in the middle of the Atlantic. It might get a little old leaving the door open every night. When the door was closed, however, it was very quiet in the room. We ordered breakfast in bed, which was the one and only time we would be able to do that. You can either order breakfast from the interactive TV in the room, or you can fill out the card and place it on the door before you go to bed. Our breakfast was delivered right on time. The eggs and sausages were hot, the milk & juices were cold, and the pastries were tasty. I also ordered cereal, but there was no bowl to put the cereal, so I didn't eat it. This was no continental breakfast…and it was more than adequate to start the day fresh. Our invisible room steward of course turned down the bed for us, and there was a delicious chocolate on the nightstand. I only wish we weren't so busy trying to explore the ship, so we could have spent more time relaxing in our stateroom, but there was so much to do and see, and so little time, with only two nights on the ship.

For me, exploring the ship was entertainment in itself, however, having been an entertainer on cruise ships, I wanted to see first-hand how it was done on QM2. I wanted to experience the Royal Academy of Arts and their interpretation of entertainment. For this particular show that I saw, there was no live orchestra, only a soundtrack with the Royal Cunard Singers and Dancers. Vocally the singers were very good, and the dancers were among the best I've seen on a cruise ship. I don't know what the technical term for this type of dance is, but one of the performers did an interpretive dance that was a cross between tap dancing and stomping, with incredible footwork. It was acappella dancing and clapping to a rythmic pace set by the soloist dancer. He put on quite a show and I enjoyed it very much, but I thought his performance would never end…he just kept going and going like the energizer bunny. The overall floor show was very good, a bit long perhaps, but there certainly was a talented group of singers and dancers. The Royal Court Theater has very good sight-lines throughout the auditorium, and the stage has the potential for high-end production shows. There is a sunken proscenium or orchestra pit that raises and lowers, which will be great when they use an orchestra. The latest in high-tech lighting and sound equipment was installed in the Royal Court Theater aboard QM2, with the capacity for world-class stage and productions shows.

A unique form of entertainment never before seen aboard a liner or a cruise ship, has been built into the Illuminations theatre which doubles as a planetarium. A huge dome, or screen, in the middle of the room covers a portion of specialized chairs that can recline, so passengers can have a full-fledged planetarium experience. Cunard Line had to get a special permit from the U.S. Coast Guard to install such a large domed screen for the planetarium, a structure that would normally require a number of sprinklers, which would have taken away from the visual effect. It was about 6pm when we saw the highly anticipated planetarium show called "Infinity Express", and I must have been tired from running around the ship, because I nearly fell asleep in the middle of the presentation. It didn't help that the chairs are so comfortable. The presentation itself was very good, and focused on some new discoveries in the continual search of the galaxies. The only negative comment I have, is that there was too much use of the domed screen for what seemed to me a high-tech slide show. I was anticipating more simulated visuals of stars, but it turned out to be more of a multi-media show with a combination of video, slides, and projected images.

Aboard QM2 there was an abundance of entertainment options typical of life on a cruise ship, like the usual casino action, night-club scene, dancing, cabaret shows. The G32 night club aft of the Queens Room was exceptionally popular for late-night dancing, and it was flat out a very cool room, with at least a dozen flat screen monitors overlooking the dance floor. A haven for the younger thirty-something passengers, G32 also attracted many off-duty crew members. Golden Lion Pub was also very popular in the evenings. I didn't get a chance to experience one of the many lectures that are offered by the University of Oxford, but Cunard is known in recent years for having excellent speakers on a wide range of interesting topics. Now, aboard the QM2, Cunard Connexions offers enrichment seminars and discussions with speakers from the University of Oxford. It was once said aboard the QE2 that there are so many activities in the ship's Daily Program, that it would take several months to participate in all of the activities offered during any six-day crossing. With the QM2 being nearly double in size to the QE2, there is more space for more activities, so passengers can look forward to nearly endless options to entertain one's self during a crossing or a cruise.

High up on my list, of things to do aboard the QM2, was to experience the Canyon Ranch Spa. Immediately upon boarding the ship I went to the Spa to purchase a day pass, which include the use of the hydro-spa facilities. The thalassotherapy pool has a deluge waterfall, jet benches, and a neck fountain. I absolutely love to soak in a quality hot tub, so I was thrilled to bask in the luxury of the Canyon Ranch Spa's hydro facilities. The main therapy pool has these wonderful chairs under the water in the shallow end, with tiny jets that cause your body to seemingly float in a weightless environment. In these jet benches, you can totally relax and let the bubbles soothe your muscles. In the center of the pool is a circular area that you can swim into, with a fountain of water & bubbles, that also gives bathers a feeling of weightlessness while standing. The aft part of the pool has a waterfall, which feels great on the head and shoulders. For those who like a strong-pressure shower, this forceful and dense waterspout pouring water into the pool, will be an absolute delight on the head and shoulders…if you can bare the weight of the water gushing down. Be aware, however, that standing under this neck fountain will splash water everywhere, so one must be conscious of other bathers nearby. Aside from this wonderful pool itself, the room has a tranquility throughout from the soothing lighting to the relaxing wooden benches. Soft new-age-type music is playing in the background, and of course the sound of the bubbling water in the thalassotherapy pool and the hot tub, seem to envelope occupants in a comfortable setting. Just off from the pool is a number of rooms for additional relaxation, with hydro and aromatherapy facilities. There is a special reflexology, bubbling hot or cold foot-pool to soothe the feet after a long day of walking around the huge ship. An aromatic steam room and a Finnish dry sauna relax the muscles. After a hot sauna, you may want to try the ice fountain, where you can grab a handful of ice and rub it around your body…for an interesting & contrasting sensation for your skin. Of course there are men & women locker rooms, with showers, electronic lockers, a toilet, plenty of extra towels, and an area to do some grooming with complimentary combs, powder, lotion, etc. There is also room just off of the pool area, where couples can experience a Rasul Ceremony, which is an ancient Middle Eastern cleansing ritual. Medicinal and purifying mud is used by the couple, and rubbed all over each other, then the couple enters a special chamber decorated in colorful tiles, with a fiber-optic ceiling representing the night sky. Herbal steam envelopes the small room for two, and then the couple can rinse off the special mud in a delicate rain-shower within the chamber.

In addition to the fabulous pool, Canyon Ranch, within it's two-level facility, offers so many other great ways to indulge oneself. After a relaxing spa treatment, massage, body wrap, facial, sauna…guests can visit a quaint glass-enclosed deck area, and sit in a comfortable lounge chair to watch the sea go by. There's a juice bar near this lounge for complimentary orange juice, grapefruit juice, or coffee. Instructors analyze your body-type, and body / fat content to prescribe the perfect workout program that fits your physique and stamina. There are exercise rooms available with state-of-the-art equipment, a salon for hair and nails, and plenty of massage rooms to get those sore muscles taken care of. There is an interesting feature just forward of the gym on Deck 7, a row of windows that lead to a walking / running track…and then just forward of this track is another row of windows looking out to the bow. Three times around this Deck 7 promenade equals one mile. There is also access to the bow area from Deck 7 forward. This area of the ship just forward of the Canyon Ranch Spa, is reminiscent of the original Queen Mary's Observation Lounge where there was a walkway between the outside windows looking out over the bow and the Observation Lounge itself.

Canyon Ranch offers special selections in the menus from all the main restaurants aboard QM2. Each Canyon Ranch menu selection has the initials "CR" next to the entrée, and there is also a helpful nutrition key after the description of the food that include: Calories / Fat Grams / Fiber Grams. A sample from one of the menus in the Queens Grill are as follows: Under the Appetizers and Soups, Arugula Salad with Roasted Tomatoes & Parmesan Cheese ( 95 / 5 / 3 ), from the Entrees, Raspberry Mustard-Crusted Chicken Breast with Fig Balsamic Vinegar ( 440 / 11 / 6 ), and finally from the Dessert Menu, Apple Strudel ( 160 / 4 / 2 ). This is one aspect of cruising, or crossing, that I truly enjoy, which is the fact there are so many choices when dinning. You would think that a person gains weight on a cruise or crossing, but I would usually loose weight because of the choices I made in the dinning room and from all the walking aboard the ship. Up and down stairwells, and miles of walking around the ports. Expect to do a lot of walking aboard the QM2 as you walk from one end of the ship to the other many times throughout the day. Also, when walking around a ship at sea, the movement of the ship forces you to use muscles that you may not normally use, as you compensate for the movement of the ship.

An interesting questions posed in the press conference, to Micky Arison, was if there were any changes he would make to the vessel now that it is complete. Mr. Arison said surprisingly, there are very little changes that would be made to the ship. The whole idea behind constructing such a vessel as the Queen Mary 2, was to create the perfect modern ocean liner. Vast amounts of thought went into the layout and design, and to date, although there could be some minor changes made here and there, the QM2 is everything the designers hoped she would be. The dream has become a reality, and the ship itself is spectacular. There are some desperately needed changes in service standards that must be addressed, however. The service in the Britannia Restaurant was slow, and the cuisine was not memorable, which leads to a suggestion for Cunard to step-up the quality of the cuisine, and the training of the waiters. The ship itself has to now live up to it's size, royalty, and legendary statis, by perfecting the quality of the service onboard among the service staff, particularly in the restaurants. Cunard has a challenge ahead of them, because many of the crew onboard QM2 are new to working aboard a cruise ship and particularly aboard a luxury vessel. The crew that are working aboard QM2, are very proud to be there, however, and they are working hard to do all they can to provide the absolute best possible service. It was evident that the crew are very proud of their ship, and are striving to exceed the expectations of the passengers, but if there are not enough crew members to service the large numbers of passengers, then there is a problem with the balance in the passenger / crew ratio. We weren't aboard the QM2 long enough to truly make an in-depth evaluation of the changes that could be made, but from what we did see, the facilities are wonderful, and there is great potential for perfection once Cunard Line invests in fine-tuning the quality of service and operations among the onboard staff.

Having been a passenger aboard the QE2 in 1988, and a member of the crew in 1992, I have first-hand, and in-depth experience with the quality of service aboard this ship. I have also monitored countless cruise-reviews from passengers who suggested that the level of service and the quality of the dinning experience aboard the QE2, was not where it should be for the money people pay to vacation aboard this luxury ship. As much as I enjoy the QE2, I must admit that the level of service and quality of the cuisine falls short, when compared to what other cruise lines have to offer. With the introduction of the QM2, I was concerned about the level of service and overall quality of dinning, because the capacity of the Queen Mary 2 is greater than that of the QE2 and Caronia combined. Cunard Line has more than doubled it's overall passenger capacity with the introduction of the QM2 alone. One step I know Cunard is making to address these issues is with a program called "White Star Academy". A five week intensive program designed to teach and train crew members about Cunard's service standards, lifesaving, emergency procedures, fire safety, and the company's general orientation.

There was something I thought could have been different aboard the ship regarding the area where the large suites are located, both forward and aft. Throughout the entire ship the carpeting in the passenger corridors are the same, a light beige carpet with black trimming and a circular designed imprint. The carpeting is very nice and has a rich feel to it, however, I felt that there could have been a different style of carpeting to differentiate the areas of the more upscale suites, or perhaps a special lounge area leading to the suites, providing a more exclusive, upscale environment. As it is, you wouldn't know that you are standing at the door of a suite, because the carpeting is identical throughout the ship.

Few ships in the history of men, ships, and the sea, have captivated the masses like the R.M.S. Queen Mary of 1936. Built at a time when ocean travel was the primary means of traveling across the Atlantic from one continent to another, the Queen Mary was a marvel of the master shipbuilders and the realization of a dream. The Queen Mary was built for comfort, safety, speed and luxury. There were many superlatives that described the Queen Mary, but the one intriguing feature about this great ship was that it seemingly had a personality, or a soul that could be felt by those who visited the ship. Just as some people can sense that the ocean itself contains a personality, the same can be said of the Queen Mary, especially when she was at sea in her element. Is it possible to reproduce this "personality" when building a ship? What is it that gave the Queen Mary her charm that has endured for nearly 70 years? Is it possible for the new Queen Mary 2 to be blessed with a similar endearing quality?

As a Queen Mary historian, I have studied the ship in Long Beach, explored nearly every nook, and for nearly 30 years, after having collected and read every book I could find on the ship, I have developed a unique passion for the history of this great ship. If I were to sit down and design from scratch the perfect successor to the Queen Mary, in my wildest dreams, it would look very close to what was built as G32 at Chantiers de l' Atlantique Saint-Nazaire. After having visited the ship, I have concluded that the QM2 has exceeded my expectations for the perfect successor to the original Queen Mary. I suspect that QM2 will also inherit the mystique of the original Queen Mary, but so far the jury is out, and we'll just have to wait and see if this great vessel will come alive in the hearts of the masses, just as the original Queen Mary did. I am thrilled by what I have seen. The Quality of the workmanship, the well thought out design and layout of her public spaces, are first-class. The Queen Mary 2 is truly a ship with epic proportions. Other cruise ships may be constructed that are longer, wider, and taller, but it will be an enormous undertaking to exceed the charm, the royalty, and the heart, that the Queen Mary 2 has already received. Once again, a Cunard Queen will carry on the legend, the romance, the history and tradition of a trans-Atlantic crossing.